A community-based, cross-cultural food justice movement inspired by James Beard Award Hall of Fame winner Chef Pierre Thiam and his lifetime work of advocating for healthy eating across the globe.

Gastrodiplomacy for the People

UMAMI MEETS SOUL:
Our first activation focuses on the intersection between Japanese and African diasporic food traditions—two cultures with deep culinary roots.

We believe in the power of food to restore our relationship to our health, to each other, and to the planet.

We see food as an act of diplomacy. An invitation to sit at the same table and build empathy through shared experiences. By highlighting underutilized, nutrient-rich ingredients, we aim to diversify the food we eat, reconnect with the wisdom of our ancestors, and exchange cultural ideas.

OUR PROGRAM AREAS

Program Area 1:

Access to Healthy
Eating for All

We offer healthy, sustainably sourced, culturally rooted cuisine at festivals, farmers markets, and a wide range of community events. We partner with chefs and food activists in different communities to continue to advocate for food as a tool for diplomacy. We invest in partnerships that advance local food access for those who need it most. Whenever we can, we will donate meals or portions of our proceeds back to the community.

Program Area 2:

Food Education & Storytelling

Our hands-on cooking experiences reach students and families in under-resourced schools and community centers, bringing nutrition education and cultural knowledge to places where it’s often missing. We help all people see food not just as fuel, but as a living reflection of heritage, environment, and identity. Through chef visits, garden integration, and culturally rooted lessons, students build confidence in the kitchen and deeper connection to the food they grow, prepare, and share with others.

Program Area 3:

Unique Cultural
Food Experiences

We produce unique dining pop-ups in restaurants, gardens, and community spaces that spotlight nutrient-rich, underutilized ingredients—starting with Japanese and African diaspora traditions. These experiences serve our most important partners and supporters and their communities, creating space for crosscultural learning, storytelling, and shared meals that build empathy and understanding across lines of difference. By honoring the people and histories behind each dish, we use food as a tool for cultural diplomacy and health equity.

WHO WE ARE

Founder
Lisa is a creative leader, writer, and strategist with decades of experience working with corporations and nonprofits. She is an executive at Japanese tech company Digital Garage and author of the book Parenting the Japanese Way (Workman, April 2025).

Founder
Pierre is a Senegal-born, California-based chef, author, and culinary entrepreneur. He is the visionary behind award-winning restaurants and Teranga NYC, and the co-founder of Yolélé Foods, which brings the ancient African grain fonio to shelves across the U.S. Through his work, he champions food as an act of love—for self, community, and the planet.

Project Manager / Events

Justine Lucas

Advisor

Ginger Wange

Design

Ben Apatow

One of the most powerful ways that Gastrodiplomacy shows up in the world is through our interactive, food-based events that connect cultures with each other.